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Marvin Grattan
Marvin Grattan was a student at Shimer College during the early Seminary period. He is listed in the First Biennial Register and Circular (1855), indicating attendance between 1853 and 1855. The Register and Circular lists his hometown as Sterling, Illinois, approximately 40 kilometers (24.0 miles) from Mount Carroll. Shimer connections *Son of Trustee Henry Grattan Mentioned *in "Personals", Oread, August 1885, p. 18: *:Mr. M.T. Grattan, a student at the Seminary when young men were admitted, sends greetings from Preston, Minn. Mr. Grattan is mayor of Preston and one of the leaders in all public enterprises. Profiled *by Debra J. Richardson, in "Dark Horse: The life and times of M. T. Grattan", 2011-03-30 *in History of Fillmore County, Minnesota, pp. 577-578: *:Marvin T. Grattan, president of Fillmore County Agricultural Society, was born in Janesville, Wisconsin, July 26, 1848, and is descended from Colonial, Revolutionary and War of 1812 ancestry. He was reared in his parents’ home and received a good public school education, after which he entered the government service. After acting for a while as clerk in the naval recruiting station, in Sterling, Whiteside county, Illinois, in 1863; he enlisted in 1864 in the regular naval service and saw service on the Great Western, the Clara Dolson and the Ouichita. He was discharged on January 30, 1865, and entered into the implement business, in which he continued for seventeen years, having his headquarters at different times at Decorah, Preston and Austin. On March 30, 1870, he purchased a farm of 160 acres in section 36, in Fountain township, and here has made a specialty of breeding road horses. In fact, Mr. Grattan has been a horse faneier all his life, and while at Austin built the race track which is one of the prominent features of that city at the present time. Mr. Grattan’s place is known as the Preston Stock Farm, and its animals receive a high rating with the American Trotting Registry Association, in which Mr. Grattan is a stockholder and member. The subject of this sketch is a Democrat in politics. He has never aspired to public office, but was one year elected unanimously to the position of mayor of Preston, the vote being taken during his absence and without his knowledge. He is a Royal Arch Mason. Marvin T. Grattan was married September 20, 1868, at Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, to Hattie White, who was born in Janesville, Wisconsin, March 18, 1853. This union has been blessed with five children: Harry is a contractor and builder in Brooklyn, N. Y.; Jennie F. graduated from St. Mary’s College, at Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, and is now a teacher in the Bremer School in Minneapolis. Guyon operates the home farm. Richard Н. and Eva are dead. Henry Guyon Grattan and Jane Trask Grattan his wife were natives of New York state, and came to Wfisconsin in 1840, the latter passing away at Freeport, Illinois, in June, 1849. Henry G. Grattan was a pioneer newspaper man. He established the Gazette, of Janesville, Wisconsin; the Gazette of Sterling, Illinois; the Mirror of Mt. Carroll, Illinois; and the Bulletin, of Freeport, Illinois. About 1860 he moved to Waнkon, Iowa, where he is buried. Amos Grattan, father of Henry G. Grattan and grandfather of Marvin T. Grattan, was a veteran of the War of 1812. At one time he owned the present site of Kenosha, Wisconsin. Luke Guyant, maternal grandfather of Henry C. Grattan, served two years with the Connecticut troops during the Revolutionary War. He received a pension in 1834 and died at Groton, Connecticut, December 30, 1837. Mentioned *in The Oread, May 1869: *:Marvin T. Grattan is at Preston, Minn. He is agent for McCormick's Reapers and Mowers. He was married last winter. *in Le Grand Reporter, March 15, 1940, page 1: *:Death last week brought a final pardon to Marvin Grattan, 91 year old Civil War veteran. Seven years ago he shot and killed Claude Meade during a quarrel at the Decorah fair grounds. Subsequently convicted of manslaughter, he served seven years and was pardoned last August. References Category:Shimerians who have been convicted of crimes